Read Your Way Through Winter.

I just finished Malcom Gladwell's The Outliers and found it fascinating. Like his other book The Tipping Point it is an easy read, and like another great book Freakonomics, it looks at the hidden side of "outliers", those people, groups and events that lie outside of the general population. It's not the sort of book that I would seize and fall into line wholeheartedly with without doing some more reading. What I really enjoy about it is that he takes a perception or value that we commonly hold and looks at it from a different angle. The basic premise is, whether it's a group (elite hockey athletes, Asian students, Jewish lawyers), individuals (Bill Gates, John D. Rockefeller, Robert Oppenheimer), or a situation (plane crashes), there is more than meets the eye. Beyond talent or the initial event, there are a series of circumstances--fortuitous events completely beyond one's control, cultural imprintings, and hard work that shape the person or the situation that we see.

How often do we look at Bill Gates and admire his genius? Or wonder why Asians are so good at math? Why do lower-economic students fall behind wealthier ones? Why might pilots from countries with a high "power distance" index be more likely to crash a plane than pilots from a country with a low "power distance" index? Is being gifted with an IQ of 140 any different than having an IQ of 180--or can you be too gifted? How many hours do you have to practice or work to become great, whether it's the violin, computer programming, golf, or chess?

The sections on culture were especially interesting. If you have always lived within your own culture, even one that is more diverse like the US, you don't see your own culture. We may be able to articulate the values and customs, but rarely (if ever) do we think about how we respond to authority, how we answer questions, how we approach problems as a product of culture. It's only when our mores are thrown up against something different do we recognize that who we are and what we do are largely products of culture, family background, and circumstances beyond our control. I have worked with some very arrogant smug people who pat themselves on the back and say, "Look what I have accomplished through my hard work" and not comprehend that the "can do" attitudes, the ability to persevere, the work ethic, and the conditions surrounding that person from birth (and sometimes a generation or so back) play as much as part as the personal efforts of that person. The Outliers digs into those other things and serves as an important reminder that, whether a person is John D. Rockefeller or a convicted felon, multiple complex factors come into play to shape who we are.

Next on my list is Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas Friedman. I am not a big non-fiction reader but I read The Earth is Flat and really found it fascinating. It was also a bit scary, really. It talks about the United States, China, and India and those and other countries are on the move economically in a way that is not good for the US if we continue to do what we've always done. The idea is that the United States needs to adapt to a world that is fast becoming very different from what we're used to and we are perhaps not adapting fast enough. Like the others, it's really a pretty easy read if you're not familiar with business or economics, but the outlook is not cheerful.

The premise of his new book is that America has to lead a new world-wide revolution regarding the environment and in our relationships with other countries. Post 9/11 we have withdrawn and are operating out of fear, which has damaged our image and relationships. I'm only into the first chapter, but I think it will be very good.

Both of these books might be considered "soft" by people who study foreign relations, environmental science, or economics seriously, but for those of us who are reasonably intelligent and well-read, but don't have the time or inclination to dive into those subjects in depth, these authors have presented information that is thought-provoking, a strong reminder to view information, people and events with a critical eye. In these weeks leading up to the Presiden't inauguration, we will hear about all the things Obama promises to do, what he needs to do, and why he can't possibly do it. There will be ample opportunities to think critically about what we hear and see.

And, since I'm on a roll and mentioned it above, this is another one along the same lines. What do real estate agents and the Ku Klux Klan have in common? Why do drug dealers live with their mothers? Why are people still smoking? Again, Levitt takes perceptions or situations and looks at the conditions that create them. His chapter on the Chicago school system as it relates to teachers and students cheating on standardized tests is fascinating for anyone in education or who cares about education reform. Humorous and accessible, while still being a very smart read.

Happy reading!